Erkhemsaran Enkhtuvshin “The Calm After the Storm” – 2026 Finalist

Erkhemsaran Enkhtuvshin – “The Calm After the Storm”

Arlington, VA

Division I: 14–18 Years Old

Acrylic, Gouache

The Calm After the Storm shows the quiet moment when a village realizes it can no longer stay. After repeated storms and severe weather made the land unsafe, ruined homes, the chaos passed, leaving behind a quiet and still atmosphere filled with grief and resolve. Homes stand damaged and empty, belongings are packed, people are moving away, and the sky has cleared, but the mood is still gloomy. A little girl holds onto her mother’s hand, reluctant to leave her now destroyed home. The calm expresses the defeated villagers, the aftermath of climate change forcing people to leave the place they lived in for their whole lives. I wanted my piece to highlight how climate change displaces communities long after the winds die down, and to show how much they have to leave behind for survival.